Collapsible top



A. KELLER COLLAPS IBLE TOP Sept. 3, 1940.

Filed Jan. 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fl glzsi 415m? Jiv, QM

AT ORNEY P 1940- A. KELLER 2,213,222

COLLAPSIBLE TOP Filed Jan. 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN/UR flagasl 592K917 A ATTO A'Ekfi.

Patented Sept. 3, 1940 COLLAPSIBLE TOP August Keller, Dearborn,

Motor State Products Company,

Mich, assignor to Ypsilanti,

Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application January 27, 1939, Serial No. 253,027

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in a vehicle top of the collapsible or foldable type.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a top of the collapsible or foldable type which is relatively simple in structure, and in which the number of connected links and levers has been reduced to a minimum and the arrangement thereof simplified and altered so that the top is easily raised or lowered, is positive in operation, yet is rigidly and firmly supported when in its raised position.

It is another object of the invention to provide a top of the foregoing character which is readily raised or lowered with a relatively small amount of effort and which may be easily operated manually but is, at the same time, adapted to be raised or lowered mechanically as, for example, by a vacuum operated cylinder or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle top of the collapsible or folding type which may be raised or lowered by a continuous motion initiated by movement of the header bar and in which a balanced condition of the parts is maintained during the various stages of raising and lowering the top.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle top of the collapsible or folding type in which jointed prop members are utilized to insure adequate support for the rear pillars when the top is in the raised position, which members lock the rear pillars in an upright position thus providing a uniform window space, and one in which provision is made for automatically moving the saidprops into or out of supporting position relative to the pillars Without utilizing the said pillars: as a part of the motivating means for the said props.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a collapsible vehicle top a roof or covering supporting rail of channel construction carrying a weather seal member thereby making possible an improved joinder of the top and vehicle windows.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partially in section, showing the top construction of the present invention applied to a motor vehicle body of the conventional convertible type, the parts of the top being shown in the position which they occupy when the top is in the raised position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation, partially in section, of the top shown in Fig. 1 showing the top in a partially folded position. 5

Fig. 8 is a detail view in cross section of the channel-shaped rail construction utilized in the present invention and is taken along lines 33 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. l is a detail View in cross-section of one 10 bracket and pivotal connection utilized in the present invention and is taken along lines 44 of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior. .25

art.

Referring to the drawings, a motor vehicle top embodying the present invention is there shown applied to a conventional vehicle body of the so-called convertible type. Such a top com-5 3o prises a framework which is attached to a motor vehicle body ill by spaced pivotal connections H and E2. The pivot l l is provided on a bracket l3 which is secured to a structural part of the vehicle body it, while the pivot 52 is provided on a bracket it also secured to a structural part of the vehicle body. A preferred structure for the bracket I3 is shown in particular in Fig. 4. Such a structure includes a bracket having an upstanding portion provided with teeth-like ir-,' regularities upon its inner surface. A nut 95 is provided and is formed with similar irregularities so as to engage those on the bracket on a., sembly, as shown in Fig. 4. A bolt it extends through aligned holes in the link &0 and bracket i3 and is threaded into the nut it so as to provide the pivotal connection it.

The front part of the top is provided with a header bar ll which is detachably connected with a windshield pillar i8 (Fig. 1) when the top is in the raised position. The framework of the top consists of a main cross bow 39, a rear cross bow 2d and an auxiliary crossbow 2 l, which auxiliary cross bow is disposed between the main bow and rear bow. The header bar ll, and the bows 55 the bracket I9, 20 and 2| extend horizontally of the vehicle body and provide the framework which, in the raised position, supports and gives shape to the top covering or roofing material 22.

The rear edge of the top covering 22 is secured to the vehicle body Ill as at 23 and the forward edge of the top covering is secured to the header bar IT. A non-resilient webbing or top pad (not shown) extends from the header bar H to the rear bow 2D and is secured thereto. The main bow l9 and auxiliary bow 2| are connected with the said webbing and movement thereof is partially effected by means of such webbing on a folding of the top. When the top is in the raised position the bows I9, 20 and 2| stretch the top covering 22 in such a way as to provide a neat and unwrinkled covering or roof as shown in Fig. l, which covering is free from positive attachment to the top frame members except at the header bar I! at the front and the vehicle body In at the rear.

The header bar I1 and the bows I9, 20 and 2! are interconnected by a series of longitudinally extending link and lever members described hereinafter in detail with reference to but one side of the vehicle top, since an identical series of link and lever members is provided at the opposite side of the vehicle top.

The series of link and lever members, above referred to, comprises a one piece side rail 24 which is rigidly secured to the header bar H as by the fastening elements Ila. The side rail 24 is channel-shaped in cross section and is particularly shown in Fig. 3. To the undersurface of the side rail is fixed by suitable means a retainer 25 within which a sealing strip 26 is held. This strip 26 is preferably formed of rubber or a similar resilient material and is designed to fit about the upper portions of a vehicle window 21 in the manner indicated in Fig. 3 and to operate as a cushion and weatherpoof seal for such a window.

The side rail 24 is pivotally connected with the forward end of an outrigger lever 28 by means of a pivotal connecting joint 29. A toggle link 30 is pivotally connected as its forward end as at 32 to the side rail 24 and at its rearward end it is pivotally connected with the forwardly extending bent end 3| of the upper prop joint lever 4| (Fig. 2).

A pillar 35 is rigidly connected with and supports the main cross bow l8, which pillar carries at a suitable point on its surface a bracket 34. The pillar 35 is secured to a rigid arm 36 which pivotally connects, as at I2, to the bracket l4. A balancing link 31' (Fig. 2) is pivotally connected as at 38 with the rearward end of the outrigger lever 28 and is pivotally connected as at 39 (Fig. 2) with the lower member of a two-piece jointed prop lever 40, 4|. The prop lever 40, 4! is pivotally connected to the bracket 34 as at 33 and is pivotally connected to the bracket l3 as at H. A supporting member 42 is rigidly fixed to the rear bow 20 and is pivotally connected with l4. The pivot |2 may serve as a common pivot for connecting both the arm 36 and support 42 with the bracket M. A bracket 43 is secured at a suitable point to the member 42 and an extending leg 43a connected with the auxiliary bow 2| is pivotally connected as at 44 to the bracket 43.

The operation of a collapsible top embodying the present invention is substantially as follows: When the top is in the raised position, as shown in Fig. 1, it is detachably connected by the header bar I! with the windshield pillar l8. An upward movement of the header bar causes the side rail 24 to be moved in an upward direction and through the connecting links 30 and 31 and outrigger lever 28 operates to impart a thrust to the prop lever 40, 4|. Such movement causes a movement of the joint connecting the jointed two-piece prop lever and breaks the same so as to permit the rear pillar 35 to pivot relative to the body structure. However, it will be noted that the prop lever 40, 4| must first be broken before movement of the pillar 35 is permitted, and that the said pillar does not operate as a motivating lever for the movement of the prop lever. The position of the respective parts upon the rearward pivoting of the pillar 35 is shown in Fig. 2. It is to be noted especially that the pillar 35 is maintained in an upright position during the initial step of the folding operation which consists of the upward thrusting of the header bar I1. As the header bar is moved, the prop levers are broken and moved from a supporting position. As soon as the prop levers are moved from their supporting positions, the pillars are permitted to pivot; but such pivoting does not take place until these prop levers have first been controlled by movement of the header bar. Moreover, such control is effected by a series of links and levers directly connecting the prop levers and header bar and does not depend upon movethe header bar exerts a rearward longitudinally" directed force upon the pillar 35 which as a result pivots into its folded position.

The provision of a prop lever automatically moved to supporting and non-supporting positions relative to the pillars without reliance upon movement of such pillars as a motivating factor for such prop levers is a desirable feature which imparts rigidity to the rear portion of the top structure when in its raised position and assists in securing a positive alignment of all parts of the top when moved from its raised position to its folded position.

The spring |3'| (Fig. 1) is a desirable arrangement in certain types of top constructions, particularly where the top construction is relatively heavy and it is desired to provide a counterbalancing force. This spring readily assists in the initial movement of the top from its folded position towards its open position Its function, however, is chiefiy that of a counterbalancing member while the top is being moved from its raised to its folded position.

While the top construction herein shown by way of example is intended to be manually moved from the raised to the folded position and from the folded to the raised position, it is within the scope of the present invention to provide a power actuated device for raising and lowering the top, as for example suction or hydraulically operated cylinders, electrically driven motors, and the like. In such event the power actuated device could be substituted for the spring I31, attached to the jointed prop link 40, 4| or applied to other members of the foregoing lever system in a suitable manner. In the event that a power actuating device be used, the application of power would be at a different position relative to the header bar than in a manually controlled device. Nevertheless the linkages herein described in the operation of the top would be substantially the same as it is apparent that the cycles of operation during the opening and folding of the tops by such power actuated members will be substantially the same as that herein described.

The present application is related to my copending application Serial No. 208,876 and the co-pending joint application of Gilbert E. Porter and myself, Serial No. 245,190.

I claim:

1. A collapsible top for a vehicle body comprising angularly related main and rear bow supporting members pivotally mounted on the body, a pair of interconnected prop levers pivotally mounted adjacent the end of one of said levers on the body at a point spaced rearwardiy of the mounting of the main and rear bow supporting members, connecting means intermediate the length of the other of said prop levers and the main bow supporting member, an outrigger lever pivotally mounted intermediate its length to the last named prop lever intermediate its length, a balancing link pivotally interconnecting one end of the outrigger lever and the first named prop lever intermediate its length, a header bar, a one-- piece side rail interconnecting the other end of the outrigger lever adjacent the main bow supporting member and the header bar, and a link interconnecting the forward of the second named prop lever and the side rail intermediate the header bar and the main bow supporting member.

2. A collapsible top for a vehicle body comprising a header bar, a pillar pivotally mounted on the body, a main bow carried by said pillar, a rear bow pivotally mounted on the body concentrically with said pillar and extending rearwardly and upwardly therefrom, a pair of pivotally connected prop levers pivotally mounted adjacent the end of one of said levers on the body at a point spaced rearwardly from the mounting of the pillar and rear bow, pivotal connectin means be" tween the other of the prop levers intermediate its length and the pillar, a onepiece channel shaped side rail extending from the pillar to header bar, an outrigger lever and a balancing link interconnecting the side rail and both or" said prop levers intermediate their lengths, and a link interconnecting the forward end of the last named prop lever and the side rail at a point forward of the connection of the outrigger lever and said side rail.

AUGUST KELLER. 

